§ Mr. EUGENE WASON(by Private Notice) asked the Secretary for Scotland whether the Government have considered the matter of Scottish judges holding directorships in public companies, which has been raised by recent questions put in this House; and, if so, can the Secretary for Scotland make any statement with regard to it?
§ The SECRETARY for SCOTLAND (Mr. Munro)Yes, Sir. The Government have recently had this matter brought to their notice in reference to the fact that a judge of the Court of Session holds an ordinary paid directorship in a mining company. Their considered opinion is that it is undesirable that a judge of the Court of Session should hold a directorship in any commercial undertaking. In point of fact, in modern times, all judges of the Court of Session who held paid directorships have relinquished them on. appointment, with the exception of the judge in question. In accordance with a tradition of long standing, judges of the Court of Session have from time to time had conferred upon them, by some of the large banking and insurance corporations, particularly those founded by Royal Charter, the title of honorary or extraordinary director. The title was a merely nominal one, and involved neither taking part in management nor receipt of remuneration of any kind. In order, however, to avoid any misconstruction which might attach to their retention of these titles, the judges on whom they were conferred have voluntarily resigned them; and now no judge of the Court of Session holds any directorship, ordinary, honorary, or extraordinary, with the-single exception of the judge above referred to.
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